


Mostly Void, Partially Stars

by RoseBonbon



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Affection, Alternate Universe - Welcome to Night Vale Setting, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/F, Fluff and Smut, Hate to Love, M/M, Multiple Pairings, Past Relationship(s), Romance, Slow Burn, Tender Sex, Tenderness, Typical Night Vale hate for Desert Bluffs, learning to love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-21
Updated: 2020-07-11
Packaged: 2021-03-04 06:35:00
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 18,208
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24839275
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RoseBonbon/pseuds/RoseBonbon
Summary: No dogs are allowed in the dog park.If you see something, say nothing, and drink to forget.Ren never expected the drastic change that came to the town of Night Vale. The town’s neighbor, Desert Bluffs, fell into ruin after the fall of the corrupt StrexCorp. Overwhelmed with sympathy, the mayor declared that the two towns would merge, forcing the citizens of each town to live and work together. Ren was more than welcoming to his new Desert Bluff roommate, Akechi, but his friends weren’t so happy.Ryuji hates his creepy roommate, Yusuke, who seems to only know how to paint in blood.Makoto and Haru can't wait to get away from Ann, who was forced into their shared apartment. However, their other roommate, Shiho, cannot get enough of Ann and is finding herself adoring the Desert Bluffs beauty more every day.Sojiro happily welcomed the troubled Futaba, though he’s struggling to understand her and he wishes she would open up more.And Ren… Well, Ren has a few secrets of his own. Secrets that just might help open the hearts of these Night Valians and save the Bluffians who deserve so much more than the horrible hand they’ve been dealt.
Relationships: Akechi Goro/Amamiya Ren, Kitagawa Yusuke/Sakamoto Ryuji, Suzui Shiho/Takamaki Ann
Comments: 21
Kudos: 55





	1. These And More Than These

**Author's Note:**

> If you managed to find yourself here, thanks for giving this a shot! I don't know how many fans of both Night Vale and Persona 5 there are out there, but I found them an odd fit for each other. There's going to be a lot involved with this story so strap in. 
> 
> As a side note, I had posted this story once before, deleted it, and now it's back. Thanks for giving it a chance and let me know what you think! There's nothing I want more than to talk to people about my two favorite fandoms~

_“The Sheriff’s Secret Police would like to remind all Night Vale citizens that the dog park is strictly forbidden. No one is allowed in the dog park. However, if you see one of the hooded figures go ahead and give them a wave! They’re not too bad! Quite friendly really. Just don’t get too close, and everything will be just fine. In other news, the situation with Desert Bluffs escalates as several citizens from our neighboring town make their way into our homes, jobs, and lives. Why? Because Mayor Cardinal said it was okay. A few upstanding and possibly insane Night Vale citizens have offered to take in some of the Desert Bluffs remnants, while others were randomly chosen to house these outsiders via white arrow pierced into the center of their front doors. I was thankfully spared as the ritualistic arrow shot into the home of my neighbor instead of me. Mayor Cardinal asks all Night Vale citizens to open their doors and hearts to these newcomers as they attempt to rebuild their sad, meaningless lives. After all, we’re all sad and meaningless compared to the grandiose blackness of the void, right?_

_And now, Night Vale, I give you the weather.”_

Ren sat curled into the corner of his couch as he listened to the voice of Night Vale share the local news. Normally listening to Cecil was calming. He could lose himself in the other’s voice, stare into nothingness while Cecil told everyone the most important information from the day, then snap out of his hypnosis once the show was over and continue with his business.

That wasn’t the case anymore.

Over the past few days Cecil kept the citizens of Night Vale updated on the merger of their town with the neighboring town, Desert Bluffs. Ren, being an outsider himself, knew how hard it was to fit into this xenophobic place. He’d been rejected as an interloper when he first arrived and nearly killed on a few occasions. Eventually he made up some story about how he had come from the Whispering Forest and was now ready to try living as a human amongst the people of Night Vale. Oddly enough, that vague and unbelievable story had worked, and Ren was finally accepted as a citizen. He’d gotten a job interning at the local radio station, which made Cecil a constant presence in his life whether he wanted it or not. Once he saved up enough money he managed to get an apartment, and it wasn’t long before he made friends as well. He’d even gotten to take home one of Kohshek’s kittens; a talking, intelligent one who called himself Morgana. Life in Night Vale wasn’t bad, but Ren never forgot where he truly came from…

Reminders of his home surrounded him every day and even now he was staring at the biggest one of them all.

“Do you like listening to Cecil, Akechi?” Ren asked from his place on the couch, lifting his head just a tinge to look at the man sitting across from him.

“Of course I do, Ren! Why wouldn’t I? He’s so informative.”

It was hard to tell if he was lying. People from Desert Bluffs were always happy, always accepting, and always, forever smiling. Akechi’s voice was higher than Ren remembered it. It was cheerful, but Ren could sense a violence behind it; There was a rampage hidden inside of him, a turmoil that Ren couldn’t quite understand. If only he’d managed to save Akechi before this happened to him. There was nothing familiar about Akechi anymore. His once warm, brown eyes were now just black holes, empty and void of any sign of life. Blood trickled down them, staining his cheeks, neck, and the collar of his shirt. Every time Ren looked at Akechi it seemed like he was bleeding somewhere new, but there were no open wounds on his body. Every day Akechi just bled, and bled, and bled.

“The things he says about Desert Bluffs don’t hurt your feelings?” Ren questioned the other, trying to force some sort of emotion out of him. Anything aside from this fake happiness would have been better. Anger, sadness, distress, sympathy, anything at all would have sufficed if only to show that there was some life left in him.

“Not at all!” Akechi’s plastic smile grew wider, and Ren shivered as the haunting image burned itself into his memory. “Everyone is entitled to their opinion, Ren. Even if it’s wrong.” 

There it was. 

It was the only other emotion Ren had seen from Akechi in the two weeks they had been living together. Bitterness. It may have been relatively passive, but it was there. From what Ren had seen most of the Desert Bluffs citizens were only capable of either extreme, almost frightening, happiness and bitterness. They held a grudge, and for good reason. There were so many things for them to be bitter about. The fact that they lost their home not just once, but twice. The fact that all of their lives had changed for the worse not just once, but twice. The fact that they had to defend themselves against people who cared little for their safety and well-being not just once, but twice. The fact that they had to suffer all of these miseries and burdens not just once.

Twice.

Akechi had lost himself when StrexCorp took over their little town, and now Ren had to witness it all happen again as the former detective tried to adjust to life in the xenophobic Night Vale. Ren himself didn’t dislike it here, but he couldn’t stand their hate towards Desert Bluffs. These people didn’t know pain the way Desert Bluffs did. They didn’t know what it was like to be beaten down, stripped of all signs of humanity, and forced to work for and worship a frightening entity. They would never understand.

“You’re not wrong though, Ren.”

“Huh?” Ren was pulled from his thoughts as the ever smiling Akechi stood from the loveseat and made his way to Ren, plopping down right next to him. Had Ren been anyone else he might have backed away from the intimidating lifeless eyes and blood stained face with a horrific, toothy smile. Instead, he sat up fully so he could scoot closer to Akechi. The action must have amused Akechi because his grin widened as he laughed.

“See what I mean? No Night Vale citizen dares to come near me. I'm sure they think I’ll eat them! Isn’t that just so funny! You don’t think the same as these people. You treat us like… Like…”

“Humans?”

Ren wanted to believe he saw something akin to realization or perhaps even understanding in Akechi’s empty eyes, but it was gone as quickly as it might have appeared. “Yes. You treat us like humans, Ren. And for that I thank you.”

“There’s no need to thank me,” Ren said, waving a hand as if to push away Akechi’s gratitude. “I just treat people how they should be treated. No questions asked.”

“And that’s what makes you different from other Night Vale citizens.”

Before Ren could say anything more a loud scream came from outside of the apartment. Not that this was unusual. After all, screaming was the newest, coolest music that could be found in Night Vale. Ren personally loved it and he was trying to get Akechi to see the appeal of it, but the screaming they heard outside was so off-key and devoid of any true passion that there was no way it could be the harmonious sounds of this new genre. Full of concern and a little disappointment, the two immediately stood and ran to the door only to be met face to face with the off-key screamer.

“Ryuji! Are you okay?!”

“NO!”

Once he saw his friend Ren knew exactly what had caused him to scream like that. In Ryuji’s hand was a white arrow, which snapped under the force of how hard Ryuji was clutching it.

“I can’t believe this!” He screamed, throwing the broken arrow on the ground and stepping on it. “I don’t want some Desert Bluffs freak staying in my home! No way! Nope! Not gonna happen!”

Ren looked over at Akechi when he heard him chuckle. “See? You’re different,” he said quietly, lightly elbowing Ren before heading back into his own shared apartment. The door shut behind him, leaving Ren to deal with a distraught Ryuji. After a few moments of letting him get out his anger via punching the wall and swearing like there was no tomorrow Ren rested a hand on Ryuji’s shoulder. “There, there now,” he muttered, not feeling all that sorry for his friend. “Careful now before you say something you’ll regret later.”

“I don’t care!” Ryuji screamed, looking around as if waiting for a monster to come barreling around the corner. “I don’t want some weird, bloody, creepy, Desert Bluffs stranger living in my house! It’s not fair! I don’t want this!” Ryuji began yelling towards the sky like there was someone up there who could change all of this. “I will not have a Desert Bluffs person living in my house with me! I won’t! You hear me?? I won’t have it!”

“Ryuji! Stop!" 

It was rare that Ren ever raised his voice at his best friend, but this time he knew he needed to. Thankfully once was enough. Ryuji turned back towards Ren and stared at him for a moment before holding his head in his hands as he stumbled towards him. He knew Ren was right. He was telling him to stop because he cared about him. After all, words often got Ryuji in trouble, more so than the average person. Words were his secret weapon and Ren did his best to help Ryuji keep that dangerous weapon under control. Ryuji never told anyone about this problem of his, and he never would save for Ren. Ren had a way of making people trust him or distrust him as much as he wanted. For Ryuji, he had nothing but trust for his best friend who only came into his life a year ago. Friends who he had known for his entire life like Mishima, Haru, and Makoto didn’t even know his secret… And hopefully they never would.

Of course, it seemed the Bluffians could always pick up on his secret….

Thankfully, Ren always knew exactly how to calm Ryuji down. “Do not say anything that you may regret,” he repeated, once again resting a hand on Ryuji’s shoulder. As much as Ryuji wanted to scream and cry and beg for all of this to just be a nightmare he knew better. He took a deep breath, sighed heavily, and shook his head that quickly fell onto Ren’s shoulder.

“What am I gonna do?” he mumbled. “I’m not like you, Ren. You took in that freak—“

“Akechi.”

“…Akechi…without any hesitation. You took him in like you’ve known him your whole life! Listen, I respect you for that, but I’m not like that! I don’t want one of those people staying with me! They’re weird and creepy and just looking at them gives me nightmares. They’re fucking demons, man.”

“Enough of that,” Ren said, unable to take hearing his friend insult the citizens of Desert Bluffs any longer. Even so he didn’t hold it against him. Night Valians were raised to hate the neighboring city. Ryuji was no exception. If anything Ren hoped that living with someone from Desert Bluffs would be a good learning opportunity for his bitter friend. “There’s no getting out of this so you might as well come to terms with it. You never know. Maybe you’ll learn to really care about your new roommate.”

“I doubt that.”

Ren couldn’t think of a time he’d heard Ryuji so angry and so defeated. He took a deep breath, wishing his friend would open up his mind and heart just this once. So much more needed to be said to prepare Ryuji for the new arrival, but time had run out before it even started. Soft footsteps sounded on the staircase, making their way to the second floor of the apartment building. All it took was one glance and Ren knew that Ryuji’s new best friend had finally shown his terrifying face.

“Yusuke?” Ren gasped out before he could stop himself.

“Hmm? How do you know my name?” The lanky man asked, tilting his head curiously as the smile on his face lessened ever so slightly.

“Yeah, how _do_ you know his name?” Ryuji followed up, though his eyes were fixated on the newcomer. Yusuke’s height and long arms and legs only added to his haunting image. Perhaps it was only his imagination, but Ryuji thought this one was covered in more blood than the regular Desert Bluffs citizens. He shuddered, unable to swallow the lump that had formed in his throat. Monsters existed, there was no doubt about that. All one had to do was walk into the library to see that. Ryuji never thought a monster would ever make it’s way into his house, though. As much as he didn’t want to admit it, this man frightened him more than any librarian ever could.

Thoughts of monsters were pushed aside for the moment as the normally calm Ren stumbled over his words. “I just… Learned a lot about the new citizens when the towns merged. That’s all.” Ryuji obviously didn’t believe such a story and it was too difficult to tell whether or not Yusuke believed it, but neither of them argued against it. “Welcome, Yusuke! I’m Ren and this is Ryuji. You’ll be living with him from now on. I’m his neighbor so if you need anything and he’s not around you can always knock on my door.”

“Thank you! It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ryuji. As you already know I’m Yusuke. Yusuke Kitagawa. I’m so happy to be sharing an apartment with you! This is going to be exciting, no?”

“Fuck, fuck, fuck. Please take him, Ren.” Ryuji mumbled, grasping onto Ren’s sleeve like he was his last hope. “Listen I’ll pay you I’ll do whatever you want just—“

“Ryuji!” Ren had alway known of Ryuji’s xenophobia towards Desert Bluffs, but this was his first time truly seeing it. He stared wide-eyed at his friend, unbelieving that so much hate could actually exist in Ryuji’s normally kind heart. “He needs your help.”

Ryuji just shook his head, glancing back and forth between his best friend and his nightmare. Whatever Ren had said had gone in one ear and out the other. Nothing was making sense this night, and Ryuji simply wasn’t ready to let this boogeyman into his home. “You…” Ryuji pointed a shaky finger at Yusuke. “You have blood all over you, man. Like more than what’s usual. What the fuck??”

“Oh this?” Yusuke pulled at his shirt, looking down at the murky, dark red stains that littered it. “It’s paint, silly!”

“Paint?”

“That’s right. I’m an artist. Painting is my motif. I’m afraid I get a little messy when I delve into it, but don’t worry! I promise not to mess up the apartment! In fact, I brought a painting with me as a thank you for taking me in!”

Yusuke bent down to open his travel bag filled with bloody clothes, painting supplies, some animal parts, and some murky, reddish-brown liquid that no one wanted to ask about. Amid all of these things, he pulled out a small, square canvas. He held it out to Ryuji who took it only because he could feel Ren’s eyes burning into him. The piece was chilling. Maroon dripped down the canvas and patches of dried brown colors peppered the corners and background. There was a brighter red, as if Yusuke had only just added it a few moments ago. There were swirls and starbursts, but any image was impossible to make out with the crimson upon crimson color scheme.

“It’s beautiful,” Ren said, taking the piece in his hands before Ryuji decided to throw it down the stairs. “Thanks so much for sharing this with us, Yusuke. I know you meant for it to go to Ryuji as a thank you, but would you mind if I took it instead? See, I live with a Desert Bluffs citizen too. His name is Akechi, and I think having something like this in the apartment will remind him of home.”

It didn’t seem possible, but Yusuke’s void-like eyes seemed to light up as Ren spoke. “Akechi is staying with you? I haven’t seen him since we were all forced to leave! How is he doing? Is he holding up okay?”

This was one of the rare occasions someone from Desert Bluffs sounded genuine. Asking about Akechi brought out the humanness that Ren knew was hiding deep inside of Yusuke. He sounded concerned, worried, and relieved that Akechi found a good home to reside in. Knowing that Yusuke had the ability to feel, even if it was subconscious, gave Ren hope that these helpless people hadn’t fully succumbed to the Smiling God. He had a chance to save all of them. He had failed the first time and he wouldn’t allow himself to fail again.

“He’s doing well. When you’re settled in you can come visit. I think he’d like to see you. There’s another Desert Bluffs girl living upstairs on the third floor. Her name is Ann.”

“Ann is here too? I’m… I’m so happy.” Yusuke looked like he was about to cry and for Ren that was everything. He smiled widely, almost as widely as Yusuke, as he already began to think about how he could return everyone to normal.

Too bad Ryuji had to ruin the moment.

“Are you sure you don’t wanna take him, dude? He’s even friends with Akechi. It’ll be perfect for you guys.”

“Ryuji. Stop.”

Ryuji was the first friend Ren had made when he came to Night Vale. The two had gone through so much together. They ventured into the library, got lost and chased by librarians, and barely managed to escape with their lives. They survived the chaos and havoc of Valentine’s Day, and mourned those who weren’t as lucky as them. They baked cookies and sweets for the two members of the Secret Police who watched their apartment building day in and day out. Ren considered himself lucky to find such a kind, generous person in the midst of his own miserable life. Without even realizing it, Ryuji had saved Ren. When all Ren wanted to do was give up Ryuji talked him off the ledge. Ren kept his past a secret, but Ryuji’s friendship had given him the motivation to continue forward. Seeing Ryuji act like this, so hateful and threatening and dismissive, was more than shocking to Ren. His heart felt heavy as he watched Ryuji glance back and forth between him and Yusuke, fear and loathing clear in his eyes. 

Perhaps these Desert Bluffs citizens weren’t the only people who needed saving.

“You’ll be fine. I don’t think he’s a bad guy. He’s an artist!”

“Artists are already weird!”

“Ignore him, Yusuke. He’s happy to have you.”

Yusuke’s expression didn’t reveal what he was feeling. He looked like he didn’t care, but Ren never forgot about the bitterness that was hidden behind each and every one of those Desert Bluffs smiles.

“It’s no problem! I know how skittish Night Valians are. It’s kind of cute! Almost as cute as my Strex Pet!”

“Strex… Pet…?” Ryuji vaguely remembered hearing something about them on the radio, but he couldn’t put his finger on them.

“That’s right! They were all destroyed after the battle, but they were just the cutest little things. They’d bite you and claw at you. Oh, Ann’s used to growl at her and keep her from getting into her pantry! Isn’t that just the nicest thing? She eventually started stuffing her’s in her purse and burying it under piles of clothes. They’d play like that for hours! I personally fed mine paint!”

“That all sounds…”

“Wonderful!”

Ren finished Ryuji’s sentence for him, not wanting to imagine what word may have come to his mind. Silence followed the strange revelation, and it was Ryuji of all people who tried to move on. 

“So….” Not that he knew how he was supposed to move on from the dark topic. More silence followed the awkward attempt at conversation before Yusuke finally found the words to start again.

“Well anyway, Ryuji, I’d like to thank you for allowing me into your home. Mayor Cardinal said this shouldn’t last too long. They’re developing new apartments to handle the amount of people coming into Night Vale. I’ll be out of your hair soon. In the meantime, thank you for taking care of me. I’ll try my best not to be a burden.”

“If you didn’t want to be a burden, then maybe you shouldn’t have decided to come here.” 

“Oh believe me, Ryuji,” Yusuke chuckled, his head tilting slightly. “It wasn’t a choice.”

Hearing that same contempt that had been in Akechi’s voice not too long ago forced Ren to step forward and stop their bickering before it escalated. He may have trusted Yusuke, but he didn’t know what he was capable of in this state. Just like Akechi, Yusuke seemed on edge and ready to snap at any moment despite his kind, cheerful words. The last thing Ryuji needed to do was push him to his breaking point.

“If you need anything, Yusuke, Akechi and I are right next door. I’ll show you where Ann lives tomorrow so you can visit her. I think she’ll be happy to see you. In the meantime why don’t you go ahead inside and make yourself comfortable. If I remember right Ryuji has a guest room. He normally saves it for his mother when she comes to visit, but if she happens to pop by he can sleep on the couch.”

“Dude, don’t go offering my—“ Ryuji’s potential rampage was cut off by Ren’s hand pressing to his mouth. The two caught eyes and Ryuji immediately backed down. This was the first time Ryuji had ever seen his friend glare at him and he made a promise to himself that he’d never let it happen again. He backed away slowly, giving room for Yusuke to pass him and enter his home. With a smile ever present on his face, Yusuke threw his bag over his shoulder and nodded at each of them.

“Thank you so much for your hospitality, Ren. Oh and you too, Ryuji.”

Yusuke disappeared into the apartment, leaving Ryuji and Ren in an awkward silence that the two had never once experienced in their friendship. For the very first time Ren felt ashamed of Ryuji. He didn’t want to be near him knowing how prejudiced he was against people who had done nothing to him. There was no denying how frightening the Desert Bluffs people looked, but their appearance betrayed their demeanor. Most of them just wanted help. From what Ren could see they wanted to go back to how life was before Strex forced their way in. Night Valians knew nothing of the horrors Desert Bluffs endured and yet they took it upon themselves to judge and criticize.

Even someone as friendly as Ryuji.

The two stared ahead, unable to look at each other after what just happened.

“Don’t you think you’re being a bit harsh?” Ren finally broke the silence, though his voice was barely above a whisper. He didn’t want to face this side of Ryuji, but it was the only way to make sure he didn’t do anything to push Yusuke.

“No.” Ryuji said flatly, glancing over at his friend only to immediately regret the decision. “Don’t look at me like that. I’m not in the wrong here.”

Ren shook his head. His grip tightened around Yusuke painting; for as sickening as it appeared it also told a story. It told a story of hatred, despair, ruin, and loss. There was a time when anyone who saw Yusuke’s paintings would marvel at their ingenuity and their ability to evoke more emotions than Ren even knew existed. Now, it seemed people simply looked at the things he created as horror and trash.

“Ryuji, I know you’re scared. I know you’re upset. I know you don’t want this and I know that you hate Desert Bluffs with everything inside of you. I know all of this, Ryuji, but you’ve got to take care of Yusuke. I’m begging you. He’s still a person regardless of where he came from or what he looks like.” Ren sighed, unsure if his words were getting through to Ryuji. When he looked at the Night Valian all he saw was contempt and anger. It was as if asking him to be nice to someone from Desert Bluffs was the same as asking him to stop breathing.

“You were the first person who was kind to me when I arrived here, Ryuji.”

“Huh?”

Ren couldn’t hold in his small laugh. Ryuji was so simple sometimes. “No one treated me well when I finally started to make a life here in Night Vale. Everyone shunned me or ignored me or pointed at me and screamed ‘interloper!’ Had it not been for you I don’t know what I would have done or where I would have gone. You showed me kindness when no one else did.”

“I mean… Ren, this is different. You weren’t… You know.” Ryuji stumbled over his words for several minutes, trying to find the right thing to say.

“It’s not different, Ryuji. Yusuke is just as helpless as I was. He’s come into this town where everyone hates him for simply being himself.” Talking about this was more difficult than Ren realized. Never once had Ryuji made Ren feel like he was less of a person because he wasn’t from Night Vale. For a while there Ren had thought Ryuji wasn’t like the other people in this town. He thought he was incapable of such cruelty, that his heart couldn’t hold such hate and anger toward any living person. Seeing his opinions of Ryuji proved wrong right before his eyes nearly drove Ren to tears. Ryuji wasn’t any different than the average Night Valian. He was the same as the rest of them. He was just another shadow in the crowd.

“No." 

Ren didn’t realize he had spoken aloud nor did he notice Ryuji’s questioning look. He refused to believe that Ryuji was the same as these cold-hearted people. Ryuji had the biggest heart out of anyone Ren knew, and if anyone was going to be accepting of helpless Bluffians it would be him. The same heart that welcomed Ren would welcome Yusuke too. It just needed some convincing.

“You’re not so horrible that you would turn away someone in need, Ryuji,” Ren said, his confidence in his friend growing and growing with every word spoken. “Yusuke needs you. I know his appearance is… Disturbing. But look past that, Ryuji. I mean, he made you a painting. He sat down and thought to himself ‘I need to give something to the man who’s going to be taking care of me. It’s the least I can do for the person offering me their home.’ I can promise you he put his heart into this painting for you, Ryuji. All for you. You can see that, can’t you?”

Ren watched as Ryuji’s expression softened. The picture was slowly forming in Ryuji’s head and Ren could practically see that big heart of his expanding. Breaking Ryuji of these ideas placed on him by his society wouldn’t be easy, but Ren was up for the challenge.

“Give me that.” Ryuji snatched the painting out of Ren’s hand, eyeing him as if he had just asked him to jump off of a cliff. “Look, I’ll… I’ll try to be nice to him. But if he does anything at all that’s freaky or weird or creeps me out, then I’m sending him to live with you! Understand?”

“Sure,” Ren told him, knowing that Ryuji would never send Yusuke away. Now that a little bit of the armor guarding his heart had been chipped away, Ryuji would try his best with Yusuke for as long as he needed to. Ren didn’t expect him to walk this road alone. Every step Ryuji took Ren would be right there beside him. Opening Ryuji’s heart was a journey that required companionship, and Ren wanted to be that person. Aside from that, helping Ryuji accept Yusuke could also help Ren figure out exactly how he could save these poor people.

“Go on. You need to start getting used to your new roommate.” Ren began shooing Ryuji back into his apartment.

“Yeah, yeah… Whatever, man.”

“And don’t say anything you might regret.”

“Yes, mother.”

“Good. Call me if you need anything." 

Once Ryuji was inside, Ren shut the door behind him, effectively trapping the two in the apartment together. Tonight would be the hardest night for Ryuji. If he could survive this, then Ren was certain he would be able to withstand Yusuke for as long as he needed. For now, he would leave the two of them and check on Ryuji in the morning. There were a few other people who needed to know the good news that Yusuke had shown up. Ren ran up to the third floor and knocked excitedly on his friend’s door. He could barely contain his excitement when it finally opened.

“Hey, Mako—Ann?”

Standing in front of him was another resident of Desert Bluffs. Just like Akechi, Yusuke, and so many others, Ann had been forced from her home and placed in the care of a random Night Vale citizen. Seeing her open the door was a welcome surprise for Ren. Makoto and Haru had forbidden her from opening the door for guests; the embarrassment of having to live with a Desert Bluffs citizen was too much for them. As much as Ren hoped their hearts were opening up to Ann, he simply figured they weren’t home, leaving Ann no choice but to answer the door.

“I’m glad to see you. I wanted to talk to you.”

“Oh really? Well, come on in. Shiho is cooking dinner for us. I’m sure it’ll be incredible! You’re welcome to stay!” 

“Don’t believe her, Ren! This is my first time making this and I can’t guarantee you won’t want to rip your stomach out afterwards!” Shiho’s voice traveled through the apartment, which in turn put a smile on Ren’s face. To call Shiho a doll was an understatement. She was an angel in the town of hateful devils. Out of all of the friends Ren had made, Shiho was the only one who never had anything bad to say about Desert Bluffs. When Ann showed up at her doorstep, Shiho welcomed her with open arms. Literally. She embraced Ann tightly, showed her sympathy towards her situation, and promised that she would always be around if Ann needed a shoulder to cry on. Ann’s empty eyes and blood stained body did nothing to deter Shiho’s kindness. Shiho would even try to bandage Ann, thinking that the blood was coming from invisible wounds. She was a far cry from Makoto and Haru.

Shiho, Makoto, and Haru all shared an apartment, and the latter two were far less inviting than Shiho. They weren’t as vocal as Ryuji was about their anger towards their situation, but actions always spoke volumes. They avoided Ann as much as they could, refused to touch her, and rarely spoke to her. Were it not for Shiho, Ann would essentially be living alone. Yet, Ren still saw something different in them. Much like Ryuji, they quickly opened up to him and didn’t dismiss him as an interloper. They befriended him and showed him kindness that he thought couldn’t exist in Night Vale. He knew that deep down they could accept Ann. All they had to do was try.

And it seemed that much like how Ryuji proved his good-nature by accepting Yusuke’s painting, Makoto and Haru too were proving that they were unlike the prejudiced people who populated this town. When Ann stepped aside to allow Ren in he saw the two girls sitting beside each other on the couch with a board game laid out on the coffee table in front of them. Allowing Ann to answer the door while they were home may have seemed small, but to Ren the action was bigger than the moon.

“Ladies,” Ren addressed them as he walked inside. They waved happily at him; it had been a while since Ren had seen them so comfortable in their own apartment. “What do you got there? Did I interrupt something?”

“Not at all,” Makoto smiled as she stood to acknowledge Ren. “Shiho asked us all to play this game and we were, but then we got hungry. We’re taking a break for dinner.”

“All four of you?” Ren asked with some hesitation, though he didn’t miss Makoto’s always knowing smile.

“Yes, Ren. All four of us.”

Ren never considered himself someone who wore his heart on his sleeve. Most of the time people couldn’t tell what he was thinking or feeling, but Ren couldn’t hide his surprise at hearing all four of the ladies were spending time together. There was a time when it would have been impossible to get Haru and Makoto to even say good morning to Ann and now they were playing a game with her. His shock was obvious, but thankfully Makoto took it in stride. She covered her mouth as she laughed and would have said something more had Ann not jumped in.

“I was winning!” She shook Ren’s arm excitedly, knocking him from his thoughts. “But everyone is playing incredibly well!”

“Don’t be modest, Ann. You’re dominating us.” Shiho emerged from the kitchen carrying two plates of something Ren couldn’t recognize. The smell was unfamiliar as well and it was then that Ren decided it best to tell his news and leave before anyone had a chance to stop him.

“I’m actually here to give you some good news, Ann.”

“Me?”

“That’s right. Another boy from Desert Bluffs moved in with Ryuji. It’s Yusuke. He said—”

“Yusuke is here?!” This was the first time since he had seen her in Night Vale that Ren saw a wide, happy, genuine smile on Ann’s face. Even those empty voids she called eyes welled with emotion at hearing of her friend’s arrival. Her excitement got the better of her as she wrapped her arms around Ren’s neck and jumped up and down with him. He laughed as they jumped together, eventually picking her up to spin her around as his own excitement took over his body. It had been so long since Ren had seen Ann as happy as this.

“You can go by Ryuji’s anytime to visit him.”

“Are you sure?”

The joyous moment was interrupted by Haru’s quiet and concerned voice. She was hanging over the side of the couch, watching the two jump and yell in their enthusiasm that she didn’t seem to share. As quickly as it had arrived the happy mood disappeared. Ann’s genuine smile was back to the strange, ominous grin while Ren simply tilted his head at Haru’s strange words. Now that all the attention was on Haru she seemed intimidated to speak.

“I didn’t mean to break the mood,” she started, casting her eyes to the ground. “I just thought that… You know. I find it hard to believe that Ryuji would be so accepting of someone from Desert Bluffs.”

 _'Look who's talking,'_ Ren thought to himself. Memories of how Haru screamed at the very sight of Akechi rose to the surface. She refused to speak to him for months and even now she could only muster a small amount of courage to look him directly in his face. Thankfully Akechi lived with someone who accepted him fully. Ren wouldn’t hesitate to say that Ann had been neglected by Makoto and Haru when she first arrived here. Had it not been for Shiho Ren wouldn’t have been able to stop himself from checking on Ann everyday just to make sure she was fed. Hate appeared in all shapes and sizes, and just because Haru didn’t verbalize her disgust for Ann didn’t mean it didn’t show in every action—or inaction—that she took.

The past may have been ugly for Makoto and Haru, but Ren gave credit where credit was due. Pride swelled in his heart knowing that his friends were opening up to Ann. He never expected anyone to change overnight, but seeing them play this game and eat together showed just how much these ladies had grown. Perhaps tonight was an anomaly and tomorrow they would go back to acting as if Ann never existed, but this was a step in the right direction. If they could continue down this path, then maybe they would accept Ann fully. Perhaps they would even apologize to her for the way they mistreated her. Only then would Ren know that their hearts truly changed. For now he was happy to see them making changes, but his suspicion wouldn’t be quelled so easily.

“He’s not accepting at all,” Ren answered, leaning against the door frame. Ryuji may have been his best friend, but no one would garner any sympathy from him if they couldn’t treat others with kindness. “He asked if I would take Yusuke in.”

“Maybe you should!” Everyone jumped at Ann’s shrill voice. “Ryuji is always mean to me! I can’t imagine what it would be like living with him. He’s gonna drive Yusuke insane! You can’t let Yusuke live with that guy! You really should take him in Ren. Akechi won’t mind, right? They’ve always gotten along.”

“Yeah, he was happy when I told him that Akechi lives with me. I’m gonna have him stay with Ryuji though.”

“Why?! Ren, you can’t do that to Yusuke! Ryuji is awful!”

“I thought you liked Ryuji, Ann.”

It was rare that a Bluffian would show visible disgust towards a Night Valian, but anything was possible. Ann’s face distorted into something that frightened even Ren. The strain turned her already blood-red cheeks even brighter while her teeth audibly gnawed together in the effort of trying to keep the smile on her face. Her expression distorted more and more as the seconds passed. The anger at Ren’s ignorant statement made itself present under the illusion of happiness that Ann always carried.

“I… Like… Him…” Ann spoke through her teeth, her eye twitching through each and every word. “After all, he’s your best friend, isn’t he? There’s nothing wrong with him at all. I adore him and his lovable cheeks and his dangerous, deadly words and his hate for Bluffians. He’s truly just precious and I can’t imagine how Yusuke would have a bad time with him. No, not at all. Not at all, Ren.”

Saying such a thing was an obvious mistake and Ren took note of it for the future. Even so the strangest thing about this was that he was sure he wasn’t wrong. Unlike Akechi and Yusuke, Ryuji never seemed to mind speaking to Ann. He wasn’t the nicest to her, but he also brought out something in Ann that had long since disappeared. Every time they interacted Ren could see her true feisty self emerge. She stood up for herself, teased Ryuji, and even yelled at him without any of that Desert Bluff contempt and spite hidden within. She was honest with him and her feelings for him, which were hardly pleasant. She gave to him what he gave to her, which was something akin to a brother-sister relationship.

“Perhaps I misread the situation,” Ren said, resting a hand on Ann’s shoulder to try and get rid of that horrific expression before Haru passed out from the sight of it. “Anyway, Ann, the important thing to take away from this is that Yusuke is here now. When I mentioned you he seemed really happy to know you were close by. Maybe you, him, Akechi, and Futaba can all hang out together sometime. When was the last time you all saw each other.”

“It feels like forever.”

“Why don’t you go see him tonight?” Makoto asked, keeping her distance from the still visibly distraught Ann.

“Maybe not.” Ren stopped that suggestion before it had a chance to stick. “Ryuji needs some time to adjust. Maybe tomorrow you and Yusuke can go out somewhere and catch up. For now I think Ryuji wouldn’t be able to handle anymore… uhh…”

“Bluffians?”

“Yeah.” Ren could only hope that he didn’t ruin the girls’ night by upsetting Ann. At the very least so long as Shiho was around he was confident that their evening would be salvaged. Sensing the shift in attitudes around him, Ren decided it was best to take his leave.

“Let me know if you hang out with Yusuke tomorrow, Ann. I think Akechi would like to join you. He speaks fondly of his friends from Desert Bluffs.”

“Of course. It’d be nice to get the old gang back together.”

After a nod to each girl, Ren left, feeling slightly better about the way Makoto and Haru were treating Ann. If they could learn to accept her, then Ryuji could learn to accept Yusuke as well. The fact that there were no explosions coming from Ryuji’s apartment was a good sign. Things were changing in Night Vale. Perhaps Night Vale was progressing or maybe it was simply trying to adjust to the changes it was forced to accept. Either way, Ren went back to his apartment feeling far more confident than he did before. His secret informant would just love to have this information. He was too tired to go visit her right this moment, but he knew he couldn’t sit on this too long. She needed to know.

In the meantime he’d get some rest and trust that his friends would support these helpless Bluffians. His friends wouldn’t let him down. Night Vale wouldn’t let him down. And he wouldn’t ever let anyone down.

Not again.


	2. A Pale Sun Rises Over New York

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Morning always brings disaster....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the kind comments in chapter 1! It's always nice to know that there are people who share the same fandoms as you, right? I'm really loving this idea of Night Vale and P5 so I hope the rest of you do as well. As always share your thoughts, and thanks again!

The explosions that came from Ryuji’s apartment made Ren’s heart jump right out of his rib cage. All thoughts of heading to a (hopefully) calm day at work left him as he rushed towards the door of Ryuji’s apartment, leaving behind his precious breakfast and his precious Akechi, who was generous enough to have cooked said breakfast. He banged on his friend’s door while falling prey to the unfamiliar emotion of panic.

“Ryuji? Yusuke? Hey!! Are you guys okay?” He cried with his voice cracking through every word. He jiggled the door handle only to find it locked. Ren’s panic would have risen even more, but just a second later the door flung open and Ryuji stumbled out, his face a mixture of confusion, fear, and anger.

“It hasn’t even been a day, Ren! The guy just showed up last night and he’s already trying to kill me!”

Taking a deep breath, Ren managed to exhale all of the terror that had consumed him. His usual calm demeanor was back, as if it was never lost to begin with. His now relaxed eyes looked past Ryuji to see Yusuke striding down the hall, the same creepy overly-happy expression plastered on his face.

“Now that’s simply not true, Ren.”

“Back up!”

Ryuji dashed behind Ren once Yusuke was close enough to them. Ren ignored his friend’s rude actions for the moment and instead focused on their bodies. One look told him that neither man was injured, and after taking a closer peek into the apartment he was happy to find it in perfect condition. With his friends’ safety out of his mind all that was left was to find out what that explosion was.

“I couldn’t sleep so I decided to paint, that’s all,” Yusuke explained, only then realizing that Ren truly didn’t know the cause of the explosions. This was proved by the suspicious look Ren gave him. He raised his eyebrow and lightly bit his lower lip while he stared at Yusuke. “That’s all?”

“His paint fucking explodes, Ren.” Ryuji took another step back from the two of them, hoping that the distance would keep him safe from the person he could only see as a monster. “It’s a goddamn time bomb. I was just trying to cook breakfast—for the two of us mind you—when I hear an explosion coming from his bedroom!”

“Well, I hardly call spreading button on toast ‘cooking,’ but to each their own I suppose. Also I don’t see what’s wrong with exploding paints. They’re quite common in Desert Bluffs and they bring a certain realism to art. Something that you can’t appreciate, Ryuji.”

“Oh, I’ll show you appreciation,” Ryuji muttered, daring to come out behind Ren to face his worst nightmare head-to-head. “I hope that you—“

“Enough, Ryuji.” It was time for Ren to step in. As much as he wanted the two of them to get along and develop a friendship, he also knew that he couldn’t babysit them every step of the way. “Watch what you say,” he reminded Ryuji quietly. Even Ren was at a loss as to how to diffuse this situation. As fun as exploding paints sounded there was simply no way Yusuke could continue to use them.

“So I think we should put a halt to the exploding paints for now, Yusuke.” The smile on Yusuke’s face grew even wider, and Ren would have bet his bloodstone that it wasn’t because he was happy. “That’s just not a thing in Night Vale. If the neighbors report you for disturbing the peace, then you might get taken away. Better for you to just hold off on them for a while, okay?”

The giggle that came from Yusuke made both Ryuji and Ren’s blood turn cold.

“Of course I’ll stop if that’s the case, Ren. After all, I’m used to these types of ultimatums. I have no problem giving up something I love for the betterment of the community. Not at all! Thanks for the neighborly advice, Ren.” His cheerful demeanor betrayed the anger that rested underneath each and every single word. Ren tried to reassure him that this was only temporary, but before he could say even one word Yusuke stormed back into the apartment and slammed the door behind him. The two men stared at the door as if it would suddenly start speaking to them (wouldn’t be the first time) until they heard another voice from behind them.

“Isn’t there another option for him?”

They turned towards Ren’s apartment, only for Ryuji to let out a small yell at the sight in front of him. Even after two weeks he hadn’t gotten used to Akechi’s appearance, and he doubted he ever would. His apartment complex had become a hub for Desert Bluffs people, and at this point he was willing to move back in with his mom—hell even his dad—to get away from them.

“What the hell other option is there? He can either tear down my apartment with his fucking destructive paint or he can simply stop. What’s there to think about?”

Akechi rolled his eyes or at least Ren thought he did. The last person Akechi wanted to deal with was the unreasonable and easily frightened Ryuji. Besides, he knew Ryuji wouldn’t do much to make sure Yusuke was comfortable and happy. It had been the same when Ann moved in with Makoto and Haru, but thankfully Shiho was around to make sure Ann wasn’t being abused. Fully ignoring Ryuji, Akechi set his empty gaze towards Ren. “I’m sure not all of his paints are explosive as it is. Why don’t you find some special paint to replace it? That way he can still make his art special without running Ryuji from his home. Not that I’d mind if he did.”

“I swear, Akechi, I’ll—“

“Please watch what you say, Ryuji.” Ren didn’t think twice about interrupting Ryuji before he could finish his sentence. By now it had become a habit for Ren to occasionally keep Ryuji from carelessly saying something he might regret. How he managed to make it this far in life without someone keeping him in check was a mystery to Ren.

“I think that’s a great idea, Akechi. Ryuji, you’ll buy Yusuke more paints, right?”

“Excuse me?”

“Well I have to go to work so I can’t do it. Plus I think that it’ll mean so much more coming from you. It’ll show that you really want Yusuke to be comfortable while he’s living with you. It may even show that you don’t mind him being here.”

“I do mind him being here. Like I really mind him being here.”

“You don’t need to remind him of that every time you see him,” Akechi said, knowing that Ryuji wouldn’t take anything he had to say to heart. In fact, the only person who ever seemed to get through to Ryuji was Ren, and even then Ren sometimes failed. Ryuji was as unpredictable as he believed the Desert Bluffs people to be, and Akechi believed he was far more dangerous than any Bluffian. “Yusuke isn’t trying to harm you. In fact he’d have to work much harder to harm you than you would to hurt him. One wrong word from you and he’d be in the hospital. You’re much more dangerous than him.”

“You shut the fuck up right now or I’ll show you just how dangerous I can be.”

It was too early for this. It was just way too early for this. Ren has to be at work at 8:00 AM sharp, and it was already twenty til. Station Management didn’t like their employees showing up late, but hopefully Ren could appease them with the proper sacrifices and perhaps some coffee from Sojiro’s shop.

Yes. Coffee sounded good.

“That’s enough.” Ren had said that too many times since waking up this morning. The day had barely started and he was already tired of putting out little fires. “Ryuji, get Yusuke and come with me. We’re going to LeBlanc.”

“What? Why?”

“And can you at least consider getting paints for Yusuke? I think he’d really appreciate it.”

“I don’t really care what he appreciates. I’d rather—“

“Ryuji.”

Ryuji promised himself last night that he’d never make Ren glare at him like that again, yet here he was standing in front of Ren’s very scary stare. He instantly shut his mouth, not wanting to see what Ren looked like if he truly got angry. He wouldn’t force Ren to repeat himself. Without another word, Ryuji disappeared into his apartment to collect Yusuke. It was all Akechi could do to not laugh at the poor guy, but of course he did.

“Explain to me again why you’re friends with him, Ren? You deserve better.”

The sigh Ren let out was heavy enough to blow away the entire apartment complex. How many times had Ren been forced to defend Ryuji since Akechi’s arrival? “Ryuji is my best friend. He really is a great guy.”

“I don’t see how someone so hateful can be great.”

Ren shook his head as he leaned against the wall. “Night Vale did this to him. He’s one of the most helpful, caring, understanding people I know. We just have to break him of these ideas that society put on him. I know Yusuke can do that. I know that given enough time we can show Ryuji that his way of thinking is wrong.”

Ren didn’t appreciate the snicker Akechi let out, but he also couldn’t blame him for it either.

“You’re too good of a person, Ren. You’re a unique Night Valian. One of a kind. Remember that. Also remember that you can’t fix everyone. Some people will be stuck in their ways until the end of time.” Akechi nodded to the door across from them just as Ryuji emerged with Yusuke behind him. “He’s one of those people.”

The likelihood of Ren believing anything Akechi was saying was low. Akechi already knew this, but someone had to save Ren from himself. Someone had to be there for him when he finally realized Ryuji was a lost cause. All of the kindness and generosity Ren had given Akechi would be repaid once that day came. Once Ren came crying to him, sobbing about how Ryuji truly was just another, average Night Valien, Akechi would take care of him.

Ren, however, wouldn’t give up on his best friend. He saw a side of him that no one else even knew existed. Under all that disdain and hatred was the wonderful person he had become friends with in the first place. That was the person Ren wanted everyone to see. Not this… Terror.

“Alright, everyone! Let’s go!” Ren didn’t give anyone the opportunity to refuse. He started walking and let out a sigh of relief when he heard several footsteps following him. It could have been the secret police, but he was confident that even if it was Akechi, Ryuji, and Yusuke were among them.

The walk to LeBlanc was far quieter than Ren thought it would be. Ryuji walked next to him, but he kept his hands in his pocket and his head down. The two Bluffians followed behind them, but they too weren’t speaking. Ren had come to realize that sometimes it was hard for Bluffians to converse. There wasn’t much for Yusuke and Akechi to talk about. Catching up meant talking about what they were doing during the battle between Night Vale and Desert Bluffs or it meant talking about what they occupied their time with under the rule of Strex. The only other thing they could talk about was the Smiling God, and some Bluffians, such as Ann and Akechi and now apparently Yusuke didn’t speak about the deity. Ren hoped that was because they didn’t believe in the Smiling God, but he never brought it up. He’d save that conversation for later.

The two could have talked about Night Vale, but it seemed silence was preferable than talking about this place. At least they were able to enjoy each other’s company. Hopefully they took comfort simply in knowing the other was safe.

The awkward walk seemed to take ages, but they finally made it to LeBlanc. Standing outside to greet them, or rather get in their way from going inside, was a medium sized dog with bluish fur. By now Ren, Ryuji, and Akechi were quite familiar with this dog.

“Hey there, boy. Whatcha doin here?” Ryuji bent down to pet the dog while keeping an eye out for both the hooded figures and the Secret Police. They always seemed to be after this poor thing, but luckily the dog was quick enough and clever enough to get away each and every time. “Wanna get coffee with us?”

“And who is this?”

Ryuji gasped and nearly jumped out of his skin when Yusuke appeared right next to him, obviously interested in their animal friend.

“We don’t have a name for him,” Ren answered before Ryuji could say something stupid. “He’s just a dog we see wandering around. He’ll follow us sometimes, but he doesn’t seem to have a home.”

“A stray, huh?” Yusuke gathered the dog in his arms as he began rubbing his ears. “Just like me.”

At this point Ren would have loved for Ryuji to say something like “you’re not a stray! You’re sticking with me!” Or “with all these friends you have now there’s no way you’re a stray!” But of course Ryuji just stood there, watching the dog love up on Yusuke like he was the last human on earth. It was too much to ask for Ryuji to even say something decent to Yusuke.

Or was it?

“He reminds us of a friend of ours. I think that’s part of the reason we like him so much.”

Did… did Ryuji just open up? Did Ryuji just reveal a tiny little sliver, a tidbit about his personal life to Yusuke? Oh this was good. This was so, so good! Ren nearly tackled Ryuji in a hug for making such a small yet grand advancement to include Yusuke in his life. This needed to continue. Ren couldn’t let it die here.

“Yeah. Our friend’s name was—“

“Is,” Ryuji corrected.

“Right… Is. His name is Mishima,” Ren continued, “and he went missing right after the battle. Mishima’s hair was blue and this dog’s fur is the same color as Mishima’s hair. It’s kind of nice having a little reminder of him.”

“You two are so silly,” Yusuke laughed as he continued to pet the dog. He didn’t look up to see their confused faces. He was hardly even aware they were listening. This dog had taken up all of his attention and all of his heart as well. “This is Mishima right here. He’s been in front of you all this time. Just as a dog.”

Oh no, no, no. No, Yusuke don’t fuck this up, don’t fuck this up, don’t fuck this up. Ren repeated the words over and over in his head, but there was no point. Ren was so happy to see Ryuji making just a small amount of progress and now…

“That’s not funny, Yusuke.”

Too late.

“Mishima is our friend and he’s missing, Yusuke! Missing! You don’t joke about something like that!”

“I’m not joking,” Yusuke told him, his voice growing ever cheerier as his smile widened, baring two rows of jagged, bloodied teeth. “You only ever seem to hear your own voice, Ryuji. Is that because you have to be so cautious of your words?”

“Yusuke, if you don’t fucking stop while you’re ahead—“

“This is the part where Ren stops you from finishing your sentence. I’ve caught on already. Know why? Because you can’t hide your secret from Bluffians. We know, Ryuji. And we find it funny.” His laugh was chilling; Ren felt every bone in his body turn to ice just from the sound of it. Ryuji, however, was probably so angry that any ice coming from that laugh instantly melted.

“Instead of worrying about your own words for once you should worry about someone else’s. This dog told me he’s Mishima. He said he’s your long lost friend and he follows you all because you were the only friends he’s ever had. But you can’t hear him like I can. What does that say about your friendship with him? Poor Mishima.”

Ryuji was done. Any amount of progress, no matter how minuscule it was, was officially lost. As much as Ryuji wanted to speak the other man’s demise into existence, Ren’s hand on his shoulder stopped him. No one knew his secret except for his mother and Ren, and now he was suddenly finding out that every Desert Bluffian knew about it? They knew the thing he did his best to hide from everyone.

“I’m done, Ren. I’m fucking done.”

“No, Ryuji, wait—“

“No! I’m done! I can’t last one more minute with this maniac. First his bloody, exploding paints, then he claims this dog is Mishima, and now he’s telling me he knows my secret?”

“All Bluffians do.”

“Shut up!” Ryuji’s blood ran backwards and boiled over as his anger grew and grew. Yusuke’s face was about to get a lot bloodier if he didn’t learn his place. “I’m done.” Ryuji threw his hands up in defeat as he began backing away from the two. “I’m done. He’s your problem now, Ren. He’s only allowed back in my apartment to get his things because I’m not fucking touching any of it. You can have him. I’m done.”

Perhaps it all had been for nothing. Perhaps Yusuke was as much of a lost cause as Ryuji was. It hurt Ren to think this, but it was the only thing running through his mind as Ryuji turned on his heel and stormed off. Yusuke stayed on his knees, petting and cooing the dog as if he hadn’t even heard Ryuji kick him out. Running a hand through his hair, Ren let out an exhale that rivaled the one he made not too long ago.

“Why did you have to say that, Yusuke? Ryuji is sensitive about Mishima’s disappearance. We all are.”

“Oh, you don’t believe me either? I’m surprised, Ren. You’re far more aware than Ryuji is and you can’t tell? You’re breaking Mishima’s heart. You have been for quite a while now.”

“It’s not that I don’t believe you. I mean I…”

“Just say it. You don’t believe me. Which is fine. It’s a bit of a far fetched story. Who would believe their friend is inhabiting the body of a dog? I don’t mind that you don’t believe me.”

Oh, he minded.

“But I think I’ll keep him. And I won’t change his name. I like him and if I’m to be living with Ryuji I’ll need someone to keep me grounded. Lest his apartment turn into a murder scene.”

“I don’t know if keeping a dog will… Yusuke?” Ren drifted off as Yusuke stepped inside the coffee shop, the dog now officially dubbed Mishima following behind him. He knew this transition would be difficult, but he never expected it to fall apart right when it started. Ryuji was ready to murder Yusuke; Yusuke was ready to kill himself if Ryuji didn’t die first; and Akechi….

Well, Akechi was enjoying a delicious cup of Kona coffee. Knowing that some drama was about to ensue amongst his companions he had moseyed into LeBlanc as soon as they arrived. The last thing he wanted was to get involved in all of this nonsense. He’d rather leave that to Ren who for some reason had the utmost faith in Ryuji to care for Yusuke. No, he didn’t want anything to do with that. He just wanted to keep to himself and drink his coffee.

“This is delicious.” Sojiro smiled, knowing that Akechi’s serene, relaxed voice wasn’t speaking to him. If there was one person Sojiro appreciated it was Akechi. No one else seemed to enjoy and love coffee more than this kind kid from Desert Bluffs. Akechi would come in every day and drink whatever Sojiro put in front of him. He’d be honest with him and tell him which blends he preferred, which he liked and didn’t like, and it eventually came to the point where Sojiro found Akechi’s perfect blend. There was never a reason to change it unless Sojiro wanted to introduce Akechi to something new or if Akechi himself wanted to break the norm.

Akechi was so involved with his coffee that he didn’t even notice Yusuke sitting beside him at the bar with a dog by his side. He didn’t notice Ren standing behind him, a look of distress across his features. He especially didn’t notice that Ryuji was gone. He did his best to never notice Ryuji.

“And who’s this?” Sojiro asked, already starting to hammer the beans for a coffee for Yusuke. “Are you staying with Ren too?”

“My name is Yusuke, sir, and I have the pleasure of staying with Ryuji who just kicked me out. Not that I’m going anywhere. I don’t have any other real options unless I wish to put more pressure on Ren.”

“Ryuji wasn’t being serious,” Ren attempted to defend his friend. “He’s just angry.”

Yusuke laughed and the only one who didn’t seem to be chilled by it was Akechi as he continued to happily indulge in his coffee. “He was absolutely serious. But if I leave where will I go? Are you really willing to take in two Bluffians, Ren?”

Before Ren could say anything, Sojiro winked at him and stood directly in front of Yusuke as he finished preparing his coffee. “You know, Ryuji isn’t so bad, Yusuke. He’s loud and obnoxious and I’m sure that he hasn’t been treating you the best.” He chuckled when Yusuke snorted, but decided against asking exactly what Ryuji had done to him (or not done) so far. “But he’s a good person.”

Yusuke said nothing. He simply smiled at Sojiro, that same smile he showed to Ryuji and any stranger in Night Vale who made it clear he wasn’t welcome. Sojiro, however, was unfazed. This didn’t go unnoticed by Yusuke. The very fact that this man was even speaking to him proved that he was different than the average Night Valian. He didn’t recoil at the sight of him or scream at him like he was a monster. Yusuke may have liked him had he not been wasting his breath trying to defend Ryuji.

“You don’t see that good, though,” Sojiro continued as he searched for a mug he knew Yusuke would just love. “All you see is the hate instilled in him by his town. He’s not truly that hateful. He’s loving and caring. He’s genuine.”

“He’s definitely genuine,” Yusuke mumbled, though his voice was still cheerful as always.

“He can learn. He can grow. He has something special that most people here don’t have.”

“You mean his little secret?”

“Hmm?” Sojiro raised an eyebrow, but quickly moved on from whatever it was Yusuke brought up. He made sure to stay out of other people's business. Secrets other than his own were of no interest to him. “No. I just mean that he’s not a typical Night Valian.”

Yusuke shook his head, his toothy smile faltering just a bit. “You are not a typical Night Valian, sir. Ren is not a typical Night Valian. Ryuji… I’m afraid he exudes nothing but Night Vale. Not that that’s a bad thing!” The smile was back full force, but Sojiro, much like Ren, wasn’t fooled for one moment. “There’s nothing wrong with Night Valians acting like Night Valians. It’s what they’re supposed to do. You and Ren are simply anomalies.”

“Give him a chance,” Sojiro said, ignoring Yusuke’s ramblings. He placed a cup in front of Yusuke, one that was painted haphazardly with a variety of blues, reds, yellows, pinks, and colors none of them could even place. Yusuke stared at it, and Sojiro thought he saw something close to wonder in those void-like eyes. “I’ll talk to Ryuji as well. Just don’t give up on each other just yet.”

“Sir, I know this is rude of me, but I have a question to ask.”

Sojiro nodded, giving Yusuke an approval to ask his question. His mind ran through a multitude of questions that the young man could ask, but it never landed on the one that actually came from him.

“May I keep this cup?”

Silence, and then a soft laugh. “Is that all? Of course you can keep it. I knew you’d like it.” Sojiro decided not to push the subject of Ryuji for now. The look of happiness, true happiness, that briefly crossed Yusuke’s face once he realized he could keep the cup was enough for Sojiro to be satisfied. Instead he focused his attention back on Akechi who was simply dying to hear more coffee fun facts to fill up his coffee journal, which he made to keep himself occupied. For as much as he missed Desert Bluffs even he had to admit that Sojiro’s coffee was the best he ever had. He barely paid attention to his supposedly long lost friend and Ren was simply an afterthought as he listened to Sojiro explain about the altitude of the Kona bean and prestige of this rare and delicious blend.

There was something about hearing Sojiro talk about coffee that was a comfort to Ren. It lulled him into a sense of security that only Cecil could achieve with his suave, smooth voice. For a moment Ren forgot all about Ryuji and Yusuke. He forgot about his missing friend, Mishima, and this mysterious dog who Yusuke claimed was Mishima. He forgot about saving Akechi and the other Bluffians. He simply listened and learned about how Kona beans made their way from Hawaii to Night Vale.

And then the smooth voice silenced.

Ren’s eyes snapped open, as if the loss of the voice was a shot to the heart. His eyes turned up to look into Sojiro’s, who was staring right at him.

“Futaba is upstairs,” Sojiro said, picking up a glass to clean it. “She’d be happy to see you.”

“Oh, well I should actually get to work. Station management won’t accept me being this late.”

Sojiro nodded his head with a simple “Hmm” attached to the action. Ren tried not to think much of it. He tried to pretend that he didn’t just somehow offend Sojiro and possibly Futaba as well. Instead he pat Akechi on the back, whispered to Yusuke to reconsider keeping the dog, thanked Sojiro for his kindness, and left to finally head to work. The cafe wasn’t too far from the radio station, but he knew he’d have to deal with punishment from station management for his tardiness.

Unless….

“Morgana? Are you there?”

“Yep!”

Just as always Morgana seemingly appeared out of thin air behind Ren. The small cat jumped on his companion’s shoulder, sitting comfortably as he carefully avoided stabbing Ren with the spikes running down his back to the end of his tail. “What’s up?”

“I’m late for work.”

“Yikes. Well, it’s understandable with all the excitement. And it’s only just hit 8:15 A.M. Imagine how the rest of your day is going to be.”

“I’d rather not. Listen, Station Management doesn’t like the interns showing up late. Go on ahead of me and make up some lie about why I’m late. Say a librarian got into my room or something and they’re on the loose. Anything.”

Morgana snickered, mostly because of how relaxed Ren sounded considering the dread any normal person would experience at the thought of Station Management's anger. “And what if they catch us in the lie?”

“Well, that’d be a great story in itself, wouldn’t it?” The grin Ren wore made any doubt in Morgana’s head vanish. With a wink and flick of his tail, the cat was gone. Ren walked the rest of the way to the radio station slowly, regardless of the fact that he was late. His mind was running in a million different directions, and each path was more difficult than the last. Yusuke and Ryuji were a stress he didn’t want to deal with. Then there was the fact that Akechi was always on his mind. Add also that the strange dog was suddenly even stranger and was now going to be even more of a constant presence in his life. Plus, Futaba would no doubt know that Yusuke had shown up so that would only put more pressure to set their plans into action.

Their plans… Their terribly, devastatingly, impossibly important plans.

Ren ran his hand through his thick hair as he approached the foreboding radio station that had become another home to him. Perhaps Cecil was aware of the rough morning Ren had, or perhaps he even knew that a rough night was waiting for the young intern. Either way, the man seemed to want to do a favor for Ren by playing his favorite part of the show as soon as he walked through the doors.

“And now, Night Vale, the weather.”


	3. Lake Full of Regrets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone has regrets regardless if they are recent or carried over from a previous life.

Nothing could make Ryuji feel better about the horrible situation he found himself in. In the blink of a third eye, his entire life had changed and it was easy to blame Desert Bluffs. Were it not for them there wouldn’t have been that ridiculous battle, Mishima would probably still be around, and he wouldn’t be forced to house a living nightmare. All of the terrible changes that occured was all because of Night Vale’s sister city. On top of that, Ryuji was tired of Ren telling him to play nice. Just because he was willing to be friends with those creepy Bluffians didn’t mean he needed to drag Ryuji into it as well. 

Ryuji tried to spend the day cooling off. He went to the gym, he played in the arcade, he ate his required Big Rico’s pizza, he even listened to Cecil’s show at his mom’s house. They hadn’t enjoyed one of his shows together in a long time, and the change of pace was welcome. Ultimately, though, he knew he’d have to go back home. He also knew he’d find that damned Yusuke there. He may have kicked him out, but that wouldn’t mean much if Ren simply told him to stay. Ryuji didn’t really care where Yusuke wound up so long as it was far from him. Why Ren worked so hard to defend the Bluffians was beyond Ryuji. They did nothing for Night Vale except turn the city into a horror movie. 

By the time he made it back to his apartment, Ryuji was exhausted from all of his anger and was worried about whether or not he’d see Yusuke sitting in his living room. Better to just rip off the band-aid… 

The first thing Ryuji saw when he opened his apartment door was Yusuke sitting on his couch with a big, bluish dog beside him. For whatever reason Ryuji didn’t expect to see the dog here, and he wondered why he had been stupid enough not to. After all, why wouldn’t Yusuke bring home the dog that had caused Ryuji to kick him out in the first place? 

“You actually brought him here?” 

“I’m leaving. I promise, Ryuji.” Just to show that he was telling the truth, he pointed to his packed bag beside his feet. “But I just… I have an important question first.” 

“Really? A question?” Ren clearly wasn’t home yet if Yusuke had resorted to asking anything of Ryuji. Without another word, he raised his eyebrow as he closed the door behind him, crossing his arms as he stared at the other. Yusuke stood, and it was then Ryuji noticed the colorful coffee mug in his hand. He assumed it came from Sojiro’s cafe. The man had a knack for picking out the perfect coffee and the perfect mug for every individual patron regardless if he knew them or not. It was only fitting that an artist receive a mug such as this, though he was surprised that Sojiro let him keep it. Yusuke held the mug out to Ryuji who didn’t take it, but assumed this mysterious question was about it. 

“I umm…” Did people from Desert Bluffs stutter? Did they get shy? Ryuji tilted his head slightly as Yusuke fumbled around for his words. He’d never seen a Bluffian look like this. Nervous. Anxious. Yusuke’s head was down as his “umm’s” and “hmm’s” replaced whatever question he wanted to ask. The longer he stood there, the more difficult it became for Yusuke to speak. Eventually, enough time passed and Ryuji decided to give the man a little push. 

“Ask me your question.” 

“Do these colors exist in paint?” Yusuke slapped his hand over his mouth as soon as the words left him. He knew he didn’t speak of his own volition. They came from him before he could stop them; as if something took hold of him and forced the words out of him. He took a step back from Ryuji, staring at him similarly to how Night Valians gawked in fear at Desert Bluffians. For all the control he thought he had over his emotions Yusuke couldn’t shake the chill that went up his spine at what just happened. The fear would have frozen just about anyone, but fear was a constant in Yusuke’s life. He quickly calmed down again, settled his nerves, and it was only then that he noticed the look on Ryuji’s face. 

Who knew someone so hateful could have his feelings hurt? 

This was nothing Ryuji wasn’t used to. People used to cower from him all the time. The only person who never truly seemed afraid of him was Ren. Even Bluffians bothered to break away from their emotionless masks to show just how nervous they were around Ryuji. Yusuke was no exception, not that he expected anything otherwise. Rather than dwell on the sickening feeling of Yusuke’s fear, Ryuji took the cup and examined all of the colors on it. 

“Yeah, there are paints in these colors” he said simply once he finished looking over the mug. “I don’t see anything on here that looks weird. Why? You like the colors?” 

Yusuke nodded, bringing the cup to his chest as if he were protecting it. “I just thought that… Maybe… Well…” There was no point in trying to explain anything to Ryuji. All Yusuke wanted to do was leave him be and stay with Ren until he could have a place of his own. A sigh left him and he turned around, slowly making his way back to the dog. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll ask Ren. It’s no big deal. Thank you, Ryuji. I’ll be out of your hair now.” 

Something stirred in Ryuji as he watched Yusuke turn away from him. Never once had he experienced this strange feeling towards a Bluffian before. It was something more than pity. The look on that bloody face, the sadness that somehow made it’s way through those empty eyes, the way Yusuke completely deflated before he had a chance to say everything he wanted… 

Ryuji’s armored heart cracked at the sight of a person this defeated. “Come on,” he said before he could stop himself, his feet taking him to the door as if they had a mind of their own. 

“Hmm?” 

Ryuji opened the door and stepped through it, motioning for Yusuke to follow him. “Come on. We’re going.” 

“Going where?” 

“Just come on. Bring the mug if you want.” 

Without another word, Yusuke left the dog behind and followed Ryuji out of the door, this time of his volition. They walked in silence with Yusuke wondering exactly where Ryuji was taking him. Wondering was all he did as they walked. Where were they going? Why was Ryuji even bothering to take him somewhere if it wasn’t to kill him? And the question at the forefront of his mind, how did he manage to get Yusuke to ask his question? He couldn’t shake the uncomfortable feeling that welled in him as he thought about how he spoke without meaning to. He mostly knew what happened, but it seemed there was a lot more about this little secret of Ryuji’s that Yusuke didn’t know. 

“I don’t suppose you’d be willing to explain what you did back there?” He asked, daring to tread that thin ice. “That’s the power of your words then? You can control others with them?” 

“No. It’s not like that.” Ryuji shocked Yusuke by entertaining his question with an answer, regardless of how defensive he sounded. “I thought you said Bluffians knew all about my secret.” 

“I may have been exaggerating just a bit. We know you’re… Different. We can sense you have something off about you, and it’s easy enough to put the pieces together. Ren is always stopping you from saying threats or anything that could be considered violent. No one else seems to be aware of why he does that. All of that adds up to a secret involving the dangers of the words you speak.” 

“I see. Well, you’re not entirely wrong.” They walked in silence for a bit longer; Yusuke could see that Ryuji was contemplating exactly how much more he wanted to say. Just when he was going to tell him that he didn’t need to force himself to say anything, Ryuji once again started speaking. 

“I don’t control people with my words. It’s more like… I guess it’s more like the things I say have a tendency to happen. Or you could even say that things I wish for come true. I want a flower to grow right in front of us, so... Well look.” 

Just as Ryuji said the words, a flower burst from the crack in the sidewalk directly in front of the two men. Yusuke halted his steps as he stared at the bit of foliage trapped in the concret. “Y-you did that?” He asked, pointing to the flower. 

“Yeah. Little things like that will always happen. The more effect a wish of mine will have, the less likely it is to occur. I can’t ask for the apocalypse and it just happen, but if I ask for a flower it’ll definitely appear.” 

“Magnificent.” 

“Uhhh… what?” 

“How inspiring, Ryuji. You have at your disposal a limitless pool of anything you desire. Imagine if I had such an ability. I’d never want for an art model again. Or for any object that would guide my art. Incredible, Ryuji. Just incredible.” 

Even after all of the praise all Ryuji could do was snort. “Yeah right. If I could get rid of this curse I would. There’s a reason Ren always tells me to be careful what I say. I’ve definitely hurt my fair share of people. Not intentionally, but imagine what sort of gruesome things might happen if I told someone ‘zip your mouth.’ People… To put it simply they’re afraid of me once they learn what I can do. It’s not easy making friends when people are scared of the sound of your damn voice. Desert Bluffs aren’t the only outsiders in Night Vale, you know.” 

“Then why do you treat us as such if you know what it’s like?” 

To that, Ryuji had nothing to say. If he were being honest with himself he didn’t quite like the mirror Yusuke just held up to him. He didn’t enjoy being faced with the reality that he was treating Bluffians the exact same way most of Night Vale had treated him. He didn’t want to admit that he turned into those terrible bullies, that he became the very people who rejected him and told him he was a danger to society. How could he face himself and accept that he was just as horrible as all of the people who turned their backs on him? 

He couldn’t. So he locked away his feelings on the matter, and continued on without looking at his companion. The pair garnered plenty of stares as they traveled through the streets of Night Vale. Neither of them reacted much to the eyes following them or the words whispered behind their backs or screamed right at them, mainly due to Yusuke. Ryuji didn’t say anything to the yells Yusuke endured, nor did Yusuke expect him to. As always, Ryuji acted the typical Night Valian that could be found on any street corner. 

The trek to wherever Ryuji was leading Yusuke went on for a bit longer until they eventually came upon an arts and crafts shop. Yusuke’s jaw dropped at the sight of it; who knew Night Vale even had a concept of art? A little bell ringed indicating the door opening, and Yusuke took his eyes away from the sign to see Ryuji motioning him inside. Without a moment’s hesitation, Yusuke followed him. The inside of the store was everything he could dream of. Plastic flowers, glass bowls for terrariums, yarn, sewing machines, fabrics, canvases, and of course… 

Paint. 

“Pick out whichever ones you want.” 

“Wh… What… I…” Yusuke couldn’t believe his ears or his eyes. He slowly approached the racks of paint, unable to truly fathom the amount of colors in front of him. Each color stole his attention; his eyes darted from one to another then another and then another. They all spoke to him; each color had something different to say, something different to express, and they all got their point across perfectly. “There’s… There’s more than red,” he muttered. 

“Yeah, of course there is,” Ryuji said, keeping an eye on the other customers as they shirked away from Yusuke. “Why wouldn’t there be?” 

“I just… There’s so many, Ryuji.” The breathlessness in Yusuke’s voice made Ryuji worry. When he finally looked over, he saw something he never expected to see in his life. 

Yusuke was smiling. Truly smiling. 

When had Ryuji ever seen a Bluffian smiling? Yusuke looked like a kid in a candy store… No, it was more than that. He looked… Touched. He looked like he would burst into tears at any moment. He traversed the shelves of colors and Ryuji saw something in those dead eyes that should have never been there. Happiness. Joy. Perhaps even something more. Ryuji imagined that the look Yusuke wore on his face was a look that people gave when seeing something they thought was gone forever. Like finding an old piece of jewelry from a deceased relative or realizing the sun still existed after living in darkness for years. 

It was nice. 

Ryuji didn’t have to like Yusuke to appreciate that he could feel something other than whatever fake emotions were running around inside of him. He didn’t have to like him to find that true smile endearing. He didn’t even have to like him to wonder if the blood running from his eyes were actually tears or just an average case of a bloody Bluffian. There was no reason to like him any more or less than he already did just because of this moment. 

“Go ahead and pick some,” Ryuji said as he convinced himself more of how he didn’t need to gain any affection for the man in front of him. 

“Oh, s-sure. But I umm.. I don’t have any money, Ryuji. I--” 

“I’m buying so don’t worry about it. Pick out as many as you want.” 

“Are you sure?” 

“Look, we can leave. I have no problem--” 

“No! No, no. I’ll pick some out. I…” Yusuke stopped talking and instead focused on gathering as many paints in as many colors as possible. “I…” Yusuke paused for a moment, and turned his gaze towards Ryuji. In his heart he wanted to keep hating this man. He wanted to remind himself of the horrible way he treated him. Only a few minutes into knowing him Ryuji had shown that he was rude, hateful, ignorant, and monstrous on a level that only Night Vale could carry. Now… Now, Yusuke felt as if he were in the presence of an entirely different person, and he didn’t want to admit that he liked this person. “Thank you, Ryuji.” 

“Whatever.” 

What should have been dismissive came off as charming. The blush on Ryuji’s cheeks didn’t go unnoticed by Yusuke nor did the way he embarrassingly turned away from him. “May I… I mean.. What made you decide to do this for me? I know it’s a rude thing to ask, but--” 

“Boss called me earlier today.” Ryuji didn’t turn around as he interrupted Yusuke. “He didn’t say much. All he said was, ‘You’re a nice person, Ryuji. So be nice.’ And that was that. I don’t really consider myself mean, but I suppose… Well, I suppose I could be nicer. Also, Ren suggested it.” 

That was an answer Yusuke was more than willing to accept. With that he went back to gathering up paints with Ryuji waiting patiently beside him. 

“Thank you. Thank you so, so much, Ryuji.” 

*** 

Dealing with Station Management was never an easy task. Ren wasn’t sure he’d make it out of the studio alive today, not that most interns did. However, it seemed management was in a strangely cheerful mood this morning. They didn’t notice Ren’s late arrival nor did they seem to care about some of the more taboo things Cecil spoke about on the radio, like angels or the new concoction being served at the local bar that turned people into helpful and charming little bumblebees. The day went by far more smoothly than expected, and once it was over he decided to end it right where it started. When he stepped inside of LeBlanc the smell of coffee hit him full force, then gently guided him to the bar with it’s alluring aroma. 

“I don’t ever want to leave here,” he muttered to himself as he sat down, knowing full well that the man behind the counter heard his desire. 

“You’re always welcome to stay, Ren. Besides I think Futaba would like to have you at her disposal.” Sojiro already set to work making Ren’s favorite coffee, which changed every day. Today Ren wanted the silky smooth, well-balanced, mildly sweet yet rich Jamaica Blue Mountain. Not that Ren knew he wanted this particular coffee. Sojiro always seemed to know exactly what it was his customers wanted, and he never failed to deliver. The set up was fairly long as Sojiro had to mash the beans with his trusty hammer with perfect precision before organizing the grounds just right in the pour over station. The sounds of the heavy, pounding hammer mixed with the delicious aroma of the different assortment of beans relaxed Ren’s frayed nerves. 

“Maybe I should move in. Or maybe you should just take the Desert Bluff citizens in and give them jobs.” 

“If I could pay them all I would. Ann still having a rough time?” 

Ren shook his head. “I went to see her yesterday and apparently they were all playing a board game.” 

“Is that so? Makoto and Haru too?” 

“That’s right. So I think they might finally be warming up to her. I’m more worried about Ryuji. Well… I don’t want to say I’m worried. I just don’t think I realized how much hate he had in his heart.” 

“No?” 

“He didn’t even have the decency to pretend that he was gonna take care of Yusuke, Boss. He hates Desert Bluffs so much. On the one hand I’m happy that he got chosen because this gives him an opportunity to change, but on the other hand I worry about Yusuke.” 

“You seem really concerned for someone you don’t even know, not that I blame you. Ryuji is pretty harsh when it comes to the Bluffians. Still, you care more about them than anyone else I know. Why’s that?” 

Ren shifted in his seat, blinking at the ground as he tried to think of a response. “You do too. After all, you care about Futaba like she’s your own daughter.” 

“You got me there.” Sojiro didn’t try to hide his love and affection for the young Bluffian he had taken in. Most of the time Futaba stayed in the attic of the cafe, typing away on her computers or staring off into space or popping into that weird ship of her’s that always appeared out of nowhere. For as hard as Sojiro tried to connect with her, Futaba kept to herself. Ren wasn’t surprised, but he felt bad for Sojiro who only wanted Futaba to feel like his home was also her’s. 

Sojiro’s brows knitted together as he handed off the coffee. With his mind now on Futaba it seemed impossible to get through to the man. Regret washed over Ren for even bringing the girl up. Anytime Sojiro thought about her he would become distracted trying to think of ways he could help her. He was a good man in a town of people who cared little for anyone other than themselves. 

“Did you come to see her?” Sojiro finally said, leaning against the bar while watching with pride as Ren drank his coffee. “She’s upstairs. I’m packing up for the day so make sure she locks up when you leave.” 

“I’m sure she’ll come live with you soon, Boss.” Ren tried to comfort him, knowing that he always invited Futaba to stay with him in his house. The naturally distant girl refused every single time, claiming that the attic was perfect for her and that she didn’t need to take up space in Sojiro’s house. “Just give it some time. The things she went through were pretty traumatizing. She’ll open up soon enough.” 

“One can only hope.”   
  
The defeated tone of Sojiro’s voice didn’t go unnoticed by Ren. Then again, not much went unnoticed by Ren. Instead of pressing the matter further, he stood and downed the rest of his coffee. “Thanks. Amazing as always.” 

“Come back tomorrow. I’m sure you’ll have an equally amazing new favorite. Like I said, make sure Futaba locks up after you leave.” 

With a nod of his head Ren walked off, slowly climbing the stairs to Futaba’s private sanctuary. Each step creaked under him, alerting Futaba of her approaching visitor. Before he could knock on the door it flew open, exposing Futaba sitting at her desk with more electronics around her than Ren could count. He stepped inside, looking at every little gadget and device. For as many times as he saw these things they still awed him. No one in Night Vale seemed to have a very strong interest in electronics. Perhaps in a way that made Desert Bluffs even more advanced than it’s strange sister city. Futaba, however, carried advancement farther than her former city ever had. 

“Is it hard not having access to all of the equipment you once did?” Ren asked, picking up a spherical, metal gadget with a black screen. Who knew what would show on it if he turned it on?

“Yes. And no.” Futaba was busy clicking away, the bright screen lighting up her bloodied—though less bloody than Yusuke, Akechi, and Ann’s—face. Her black eyes scanned the screen seamlessly through it. If one looked closely enough, they would see little lines that formed her irises against the dark black. So far, she was the only Bluffian Ren found who had such a trait. 

“Yes, because I need as much equipment as I can if I’m to help my friends. No, because it’s satisfying not having to rely on Strex computers. I hate that in order to beat them I needed their equipment. Not that we beat them. I suppose we have Night Vale to thank for that.” 

“We did our best, Futaba.” 

“And look where our best got us.” 

There was no point arguing. Futaba never forgave herself for what happened to Desert Bluffs. She knew that she had the power to fix the horrors that Strex placed upon her town, and yet she was unable to save it. All of them were. 

“Yusuke’s here. He’s staying with Ryuji.” 

“That jerk?” Futaba scoffed and shook her head. “I don’t know who will kill each other first. Still I’m glad to hear that Yusuke is safe. At least he has you next door to keep him company when Ryuji gets to be too much.” 

“He’ll learn, Futaba. I have faith in Ryuji.” 

“You’re too good, Akira. That must be how you survived this place when you escaped from home.” 

Ren laughed as he pulled up a chair next to Futaba and watched her work. The screen was full of images and cryptic messages and hieroglyphics and everything that Ren would never understand. “It was hard at first. No one accepted me. And it’s Ren now, Futaba. Don’t forget.” 

“Ren,” Futaba repeated, the disgust in her voice clear as day. “I hate that name. Ren.” 

“I think it’s cute. Ryuji calls me Ren-Ren sometimes.” 

“You can kill me next time you say that nickname in front of me.” Ren laughed at Futaba, which forced a small smile to form on her face. Rather than getting into yet another disagreement about his name, Futaba continued with her thoughts. “I know the name change was necessary. Destroy any traces of your life before, blah blah. Besides, these people really wouldn’t have accepted you if they caught wind you were from Desert Bluffs. Especially Ryuji.” 

“Maybe. But remember it was Ryuji who—“

“It was Ryuji who accepted you first. I know. You’ve told me this story a million times. That doesn’t mean anything. He’s still a jerk and now he has a Bluffian that he can be a jerk to 24/7.” 

“It’ll work out. Don’t worry.” 

“And Akechi?” 

“What about him?” 

“What do you mean ‘what about him?’ Does he remember you yet? You’d think he’d remember his own boyfriend regardless of how long you two were separated.” 

It’d be nice if that were true, but if Akechi did truly remember who Ren was he didn’t let it show. From the moment they were first reunited in Night Vale Akechi acted as if Ren were a complete stranger. Ren managed to play it off, but he would never forget the pain of his heart shattering as he stared into those empty eyes. What had Strex done to him to make him forget someone so important? And the pain only increased when Ann made her way back into his life. She introduced herself, happy to meet someone who wasn’t so judgmental of Bluffians. She too had forgotten who he was and all of the fun times they had back in Desert Bluffs. Even Yusuke didn’t remember him. Everyone who came to live here had forgotten him. The only one who looked at him dead in the eyes and let his name fall from her lips was Futaba. 

“Are you any closer to helping him?” Ren asked rather than answering Futaba’s question. “If you manage to get his memory back, then…” 

“I’m still working at it.” Futaba finally quit clicking away at her computer and swiveled her chair to look at Ren. He loved looking at her eyes. He loved seeing that faintest trace of an iris and that barely there chocolate, almost mauve, color. It gave Ren hope that one day he’d be able to see the blue of Ann’s eyes, Yusuke’s grey eyes, and of course Akechi’s deep beautiful brown eyes that he so quickly fell in love with. 

“I’m still trying to fully understand why I was able to break away from the Smiling God’s influence. Perhaps Strex didn’t fully convert me or maybe I had more willpower than the others?” She sighed while shaking her head. “That just doesn’t seem right though. No one fought harder to defend Desert Bluffs from Strex than Akechi. Kevin too.”

“And Kevin seems to be one of the strongest believers now. Akechi doesn’t speak much about the Smiling God, though. Not like Kevin.” 

“Perhaps he’s fighting against it then. Maybe he’s in a constant battle to not fully succumb to it.” Futaba shrugged before turning back to her computer. “It could be anything, but I can’t crack this case without you. You’re our best bet, Akira. You got away without any residue of that disgusting god on you. You don’t remember how? You really can’t remember a thing?” 

“No,” Ren held his hands in his head as he tried to recount the events of that day. He remembered being chased down. He remembered running through Desert Bluffs, trying to find Akechi and an escape. He remembered his head burning the entire time until finally it felt like his whole body was on fire. Then, he woke up in Night Vale with no recollection of how he got there. “The story’s the same, Futaba. Nothing’s changed. I can’t remember a thing. And it’s Ren now,” he corrected. 

“No. It’s not. It’s Akira.” Futaba caught Ren off guard by swiveling her chair around again and grabbing him by his cheeks. She stared dead into his eyes, one line of blood trickling from hers. “Do not forget who you are, Akira Kurusu. Ren is nothing more than an alias, but if you keep insisting that you are Ren, then you’ll forget Akira. And if you forget Akira, then you’ll…” 

Ren smiled as he gently removed Futaba’s hands from his face, though didn’t let them go. “I’ll never forget who I am or where I came from,” he insisted, squeezing Futaba’s hands as if that would alleviate all of her worries. “I love my hometown. I love my friends. I love Akechi. I’d do anything to get everything I lost back and I won’t stop until I do. Trust me.” 

“I do,” Futaba said without hesitation. “And I always will, Akira. Always.” She took her hands back and faced her computers once more, though instead of clicking away at them she leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms over her chest. The two were silent for a while, deep in thought about how they could help their lost friends. This always happened when Ren visited her. They’d chat, then sit in silence, contemplate, compare ideas, then Ren would eventually leave with nothing new nor anything gained. 

“The only thing that’s consistent between our stories is that we both heard a voice. I remember hearing voices pretty much every day when I lived in Desert Bluffs. I believe they helped me escape the full power of the Smiling God. And you say that you only heard a voice the day you woke up in Night Vale?” 

“Yeah. I don’t even really remember what it said. I just know that it wanted me to escape Desert Bluffs. It wanted me to take up residence here in Night Vale. That’s all though.” 

Futaba nodded then continued to type away at her keyboard. “If I can find the source of those voices, then maybe we can figure out how we can help our friends. It’s the only lead we’ve got.” 

“I know.” Ren stood, sighing as his entire body felt weighed down by stress and pressure no one should have to go through. He stretched his arms, but it did nothing to help release any of the tension that had built inside of him. The only thing that would cure his stress was saving his friends. “We’ll manage, Futaba. We will.” 

“We don’t have a choice.” 

“No. No, we don’t.” 

There was nothing else to say. Futaba clicked away at her computer and Ren decided that it was time to let her be. With that, Ren took his leave. He said his good bye, gave Futaba a hug she didn’t want, and left. The only thing he heard Futaba say as he closed the door behind him was a soft and sorrow-filled, “Bye, Akira.” 

****

Ren got home late, and though he didn’t expect Akechi to wait up for him he couldn’t deny that he wanted to see him. The urge to hold him like he used to overpowered Ren. Memories of their time in Desert Bluffs together swam through his head every moment of every day. Simple things, like the feel of Akechi’s skin, the touch of his lips, the smell of his hair, and the little smirk he’d give when he teased Ren… Those were the things Ren missed the most. Those tiny, small, insignificant things were now Ren’s most precious treasure. He missed them more than anything, and he’d give everything he owned to experience them just one more time. 

Before he could stop himself, Ren knocked on the door to Akechi’s room and was happy to hear an invite inside. Akechi was sitting on his bed, reading a book; it was a scene that Ren had gotten used to in Desert Bluffs when they moved in together. “Is it good?” he asked, making his way inside and sitting on the edge of the bed. 

“It’s not bad, but I think I’ve solved the mystery already. Say, aren’t books banned in Night Vale?” 

“Don’t worry about that. Anyway, I uhh… Did you talk with Yusuke today?” 

“Oh we spent the whole day together with his new dog. I told him to be careful around Ryuji. We both know his words are dangerous and it’s no exaggeration to say he could accidentally kill Yusuke.” 

“Akechi, he’d never--” 

“Accidentally, Ren. Accidentally,” Akechi emphasized, the smiling on his face slowly lessening. “Ryuji may be a terrible person, but I don’t peg him as a murderer. If I’m being honest, I don’t think his harm to Yusuke will go any farther than words. Not that words are any less deadly than a knife or a gun, especially his.” 

“He’ll learn. He will, Akechi. Right now it’s hard for him, but he’ll eventually learn to see Yusuke as another friend.” 

Akechi’s sharp laugh did nothing to bring Ren comfort. “If you say so, Ren. But, have you ever considered what you’ll do if it turns out you’re wrong?” 

“No. Because I’m not wrong. Ryuji will learn. He’ll see Bluffians as humans and he’ll treat all of you the way you deserve to be treated. He may even stand up for you.” 

“Oh wow. You do have confidence in him, don’t you?” 

“I do.” 

Akechi dropped the topic, knowing it was pointless to continue. Ren would defend Ryuji until the day he died, which meant it would be harder when Ryuji finally showed his true colors. Akechi was ready for such a day, and he’d be ready to comfort Ren on that day as well. For now, he simply enjoyed the gentle silence that had fallen between them. There was never any animosity in their disagreements about Ryuji, so the atmosphere was no different than when Ren first walked in. The only difference either man experienced was the comfort of knowing the other was right there. It was a familiar feeling, nostalgic almost. Akechi felt like he could reach into the depths of his memories and pull out special moments with Ren that should never have been there. 

“I feel like I’ve known you forever, Ren.” Akechi voiced his thoughts quietly, as if speaking any louder than a whisper would tear the feeling right out of his heart. 

“I feel the same,” Ren said with a small laugh. “Is that weird?” 

“Maybe. I’m sure you’d be disappointed to see me now if you did know me once before.” 

“No. What’s there to be disappointed in?” 

“Everything.” Akechi stared at Ren, wondering what made this person so caring and tender towards the most pitiful, desperate, miserable group of people on earth. 

“Have you ever broken something, Ren?” Akechi asked out of nowhere, motioning for Ren to sit beside him rather than on the edge of the bed. He waited until they were close enough that Akechi could feel Ren’s breath on his skin as they looked at each other. “Like a doll maybe, and tried to put it back together again? Even if you manage to find all of the pieces, even if you manage to hide the cracks, it’s still broken. It was broken and it can never forget being broken. It’s not the same. It’ll never be the same, and the difference it shows can be… Frightening. I know that even though you see us Bluffians as humans, you also see us as broken.” 

“Akechi, I don’t--” 

“If you don’t, then you should. We are broken people. You cannot argue against that, Ren. And yet you still show us broken dolls kindness. You treat me so well I could cry. Your kindness makes me want to do right by you, and I want you to have confidence that I’ll some day not be broken anymore. And at the same time I want that acknowledgement from you.” 

“You’ve been thinking a lot about this, haven’t you?” 

Ren took a deep breath and dared to rest his head on Akechi’s chest. He inhaled the familiar scent that was now tainted with the harsh smell of coppery blood. To his surprise Akechi didn’t pull away or ask what he was doing. Instead, he wrapped his arms around Ren and held him tightly, just like how Ren remembered. They were quiet for a while. Short moments turned into an hour of them holding each other, neither allowing themselves to let go. This was just like how Ren remembered except that back then their hugs were warm and tender. Now it felt like they were comforting each other for no apparent reason.

Eventually, Ren spoke up again, though he would have been satisfied staying like this the entire night. “I have so much confidence in you, Akechi. More than you know. More than I can express. You’ve already impressed me, you know. And, for the record, you wouldn’t be saying such awful things if you weren’t different. Bluffians don’t say these kinds of truths. They don’t open up to others. They smile and praise the Smiling God and pretend everything is perfect. Sharing your fears and concerns with me shows that you’re different. You’re not the same. And you’re not broken. If anything you’re well on your way to filling in all of those cracks that formed inside of you.” 

“I hope you’re right, Ren.” 

There was no other choice but to be right. Ren was once again motivated to work hard with Futaba to save this person he loved so dearly. He tightened his grip around Akechi, who returned the favor and even found the courage to run his fingers through Ren’s fluffy hair. The tender gesture slowly brought Ren to sleep with the last things on his mind being how he’d save them all. 

He’d never again let anyone else down. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I won't lie I did struggle with this chapter, but the next one is coming along nicely enough. Thanks for your patience and support as always ^_^


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